“Rejoicing – celebrating God speaking and our listening,” from the lesson series, Return from Babylon | scattered & gathered, June 2020
our Scripture
So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month. 3 And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law. 4 And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand, and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on his left hand. 5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood.
6 And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. 7 Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law, while the people remained in their places. 8 They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading (English Standard Version)
Nehemiah 8:2-8 NASB, Nehemiah 8:2-8 NIV, Nehemiah 8:2-8 Message, Nehemiah 8:2-8 NLT
our lesson
We like celebrating. The recent coronavirus pandemic has changed how we celebrate the major events and holidays of life. At the outset for many, our weddings, graduations, and birthdays were simply postponed. But soon we have learned to adapt.
A pastor friend was celebrating his thirty-fifth year in the ministry with little fanfare. The church had been streaming services on the internet, but no one had attended worship in the building for weeks. Even without Sunday responsibilities, his office routine followed a rigid schedule and the day was coming to a close at about five o’clock. As he walked out the office door to his car parked in the parking lot, a caravan of horn-honking, streamer-waving congregants drove past the startled and appreciative man. Some handed cards out the car windows. Others offered words of encouragement and thanksgiving.
Amherst County High School, a school between Richmond and Roanoke Virginia, creatively celebrated graduates this year with “Commencement in Cars.” Every senior was given tickets for two cars. Families were encouraged to decorate the cars with inspirational messages and school spirit. A jumbo screen projected senior speeches to the folks in parked cars. At the conclusion of the speeches, cars with the seniors drove down the lane that housed the school, where teachers and school staff were standing ten feet apart, cheering and leading the cars to a stage where the senior got out of the car, walked across the stage and received a diploma. Area businesses donated for pictures to be taken. After the diploma ceremony, a parade of cars through the town was cheered by family and friends.
“Seeing all of these cars celebrating with balloons and markers and stuff, it’s awesome,” said class president Zamire Andrews. “We will go down in history.”
The importance of celebrating
It is vital that we celebrate. Tom Volkar, of CoreU Coaching, says, “Celebration is a pivotal stage in the productivity process because it allows us to commemorate all the good that we do.” In a recent post, Volkar talked about the “Authentic Cycle of Probability” – the process in which people are productive. The cycle is illustrated in the figure below.
Notice where celebration falls in the cycle. We normally celebrate when things are all over – as long as we evaluate and believe that we have been successful. But in this cycle celebrating comes as the third step, providing motivation and encouragement to take better actions throughout bringing the idea to fruition.
Katherine Spinney, life coach with a decade of experience supporting others in their professional journeys, says “We do not take sufficient time to stop and celebrate the good work being done. We think we do not have enough time or money for such recognition.” She wonders over the years, how many different parties, festivals and parades have you been to celebrating one thing or another?
The AARP website says “Ever since early man discovered fire and cheered an end to raw meat, celebrations have united human communities in honoring momentous events, rites of passage, religious observances and more.”
The Psychology Today website ran an article titled, “Why You Should Celebrate Everything.” The article tells us that moments of celebration make us pause and thoughtfully consider life, which boosts our well-being. “According to social psychology researcher Fred Bryant, when we stop to savor the good stuff, we buffer ourselves against the bad and build resilience.” Even small celebrations can boost positive emotions which makes it easier to manage the daily challenges that cause major stress.
The Bible teaches celebrating
Jesus loved to tell stories. You would have been spell-bound to listen to Him because He had a knack for taking the most profound spiritual truths or doctrines and make them as simple as learning to throw seeds in the garden or baking a loaf of bread. A story – an object lesson – used to tell a spiritual truth is called a parable. About a third of His teaching used parables, and depending on how you count, Jesus told about forty different parables.
He speaks in parables because not everyone wants to hear. He used parables so that the hearts of those rejecting His words would not be hardened further. The same sun that softens the wax hardens the clay. The same gospel that humbles the heart of the honest seeker hardens the heart of the one who is clinging to their path of disobedience.
[su_pullquote align=”right”]Points to Ponder
1) In what ways has the quarantine changed how you live your life … how you shop, how you travel, how you treat people and how you celebrate?
2) Has the quarantine caused you to realize your need for God? Give some examples to the group. In what ways have you come to appreciate things about God that you took for granted? [/su_pullquote]
William Barclay wrote, “The parable conceals truth from those who are either too lazy or too blinded by prejudice to see. It reveals truth to him who desires truth; it conceals truth from him who does not wish to see the truth.” D.A. Carson states, “the parables spoke to the crowds do not simply convey information nor mask it, but challenge the hearers” to understand it.
Understanding parables
The term “parable” is a transliteration of the Greek word parabole (parah-bow-lay). The word means “to throw alongside.” A parable throws one idea alongside another for the purpose of providing a better explanation. The story in a parable illustrates and illuminates basic ideas and is not meant to have an “item-by-item” explanation for each detail, but rather a larger picture painted on the canvas.
The word starts with the Greek preposition “para.” It literally means alongside, but it stresses a nearness, a closeness or a relationship that is often not expressed in translation. It implies an intimate relationship, something that actually changes the nature of the two when separate and individual.
Let me give you an example. I might call your attention to “peanut butter alongside jelly.” We could be picturing a jar of peanut butter and a jar of jelly sitting next to one another on the kitchen cabinet or on the shelf at the grocery. But if the word “para” was used to describe “alongside” we would not think of the peanut butter and the jelly as separate, but instead we would think of them as already intermingled, as in a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
We bring the word “para” straight into the English on so many occasions. We often speak of a parachute, paradigm, paragraph, paralegal, paralysis, parameter, or paradox.
My Two Sons
The fifteenth chapter of Luke describes an interesting point in the earthly ministry of Jesus. In the midst of intense criticism from Jewish religious leaders regarding His practice of eating with characters of ill-repute, Jesus tells three stories. The imagery wrestles your attention away from any other direction.
Do any of you have sheep? There was a woman who had coins. Once a man had sons. Everyone can relate to these stories. Haven’t we all had a pet that got off the leash and wandered away? Is there anyone among us that hasn’t misplaced our keys or our cell phone? Could there be a parent whose child never made a bad decision?
[su_pullquote align=”left”]We will celebrate and praise you, Lord! You are good to us, and your love never fails. No one can praise you enough (Psalm 106:1-2 CEV) [/su_pullquote]
I finally found it! It was in the last place I looked! He came to his senses and it all worked out.
All three of the stories have similar circumstances. The stories all teach similar lessons. And all three stories end the same way: we call friends and neighbors and say, “Let’s celebrate! I found what I lost!”
The title of one of Tony Campolo’s earliest books spoke to this concept: The Kingdom of God is a Party. In the book, Tony tells the story of throwing a birthday celebration. If you have not heard this story, it will be one that you always remember. The gracious spirit of God celebrates when we return to the Father. We need to celebrate our relationships with others in the same way.
Support from the Scriptures
The Psalmists remind us to throw all our passions and energies into celebrating the Lord of Hosts.
They will celebrate and sing about your matchless mercy and your power to save.
Psalm 145:7 CEV
Our God, you are the one who rides on the clouds, and we praise you. Your name is the Lord, and we celebrate as we worship you.
Psalm 68:4 CEV
We will celebrate and praise you, Lord! You are good to us, and your love never fails. No one can praise you enough for all of the mighty things you have done.
Psalm 106:1-2 CEV
Other Psalms enforcing the same idea include Psalm 150:1-6, Psalm 118:24, Psalm 149:5, Psalm 16:11, Psalm 145:7, Psalm 126:3, Psalm 20:5, Psalm 68:3, and Psalm 118:15. The same concept echo throughout the pages of the New Testament. The gospel writers record the joyful praise idea in John 15:11, John 16:21, Luke 15:7 and Matthew 22:1. The rest of the New Testament continues the idea in the epistles and revelation. Be sure and notice important Scriptures like 1 Corinthians 10:31, 1 Corinthians 5:8, 1 Peter 1:8-9, Colossians 3:14, Romans 12:15 and Revelation 19:1-5.
Three Biblical Perspectives for Celebrating
What does it mean to celebrate our God? What makes up the feelings and how do we express them? The New Testament gives us three ingredients to make our celebration genuine and heart-felt.
We are blessed
The 119th Psalm begins, “Our Lord, you bless everyone who lives right” – using the same word “bless” that Jesus uses when He begins the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1). The first verses of this sermon are typically called “The Beatitudes.” It describes the blessed life of the faithful.
The word “beatitude” does not appear anywhere in Scripture. It is a word that tries to explain the concept behind the word אֶ֫שֶׁר RASHA, the blessing of God. It rests upon those who give themselves to living as a wise individual. We struggle with that, don’t we? The wise are people of integrity – blameless, pure, sincere (Genesis 18:1; Proverbs 11:20; 13:6). They walk on God’s path.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew counts nine “blessings” for those who follow Jesus. In these verses, Jesus was not describing separate types of Christian character, but instead is painting qualities and experiences that are to be found in the one who follows God.
There were three general kinds of blessings developed in the Scriptures. The first was the blessing that God would offer the people for their faithful obedience. The next was the blessing offered within the family. Finally the Old Testament spoke of God’s faithfulness to his people as a blessing. Blessing spoke to the understanding that God’s faithfulness, in good times and bad, was a source of strength, security and peace.
What kind of person will find this blessing, this favor of God? By the world’s standards, not the extra-ordinary person, but the ordinary one. Blessed are those who dwell in your house, they are ever praising you (Psalm 84:4 NIV).
The one who understands that he is blessed, celebrates.
We are content
Paul tells the Philippians that he has learned the secret of contentment. The concept supports Jewish peace – being at peace with the circumstance. Listen to Paul’s words:
11 I am not complaining about having too little. I have learned to be satisfied with whatever I have. 12 I know what it is to be poor or to have plenty, and I have lived under all kinds of conditions. I know what it means to be full or to be hungry, to have too much or too little. 13 Christ gives me the strength to face anything (Philippians 4:11-13 CEV).
There is contentment in believing that Christ gives you the strength to face all things. It puts the amazing promise of Philippians 4:19 in its proper perspective: “My God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
The Hebrew writer – which quite probably is the apostle Paul – says the same thing. He argues that freedom from the love of money, the idea of having contentment, is based on a promise that God will always be there. “Keep your life free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, for He has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5 ESV).
We spend most of our lives concerned that we will lose what we have – loved ones, material things, confidence, our possessions. Wasn’t that the real cause of people hording toilet paper at the start of the pandemic? We are even concerned about losing our relationship with God. If I mess up often enough or bad enough, God will get fed up with me and leave me.
When we accept and believe that enough to celebrate it, we will have begun to master contentment.
We rejoice
Paul tells those same Philippians to rejoice in the Lord always. He repeats the encouragement and the words “rejoice” and “joy” sixteen times in the small epistle. Paul is not dependent upon his circumstances for his joyfulness. He has been imprisoned almost four years (Philippians 1:12-18). Even if he were to be sentences to death, he would still be joyful (Philippians 2:17-18).
Instead Paul found his joy in people. His life and well-being were always tied to those he had touched in the faith. Self-centered people don’t have that kind of feeling for others. They also do not have much joy.
Joy and celebration go hand-in-hand, don’t they?
What if our understanding of rejoicing were more akin to celebrating? How would that change your connotation of the command, “Rejoice in the Lord always”? We are to celebrate the Lord.
[su_pullquote align=”right”]Words to Wrangle
We tend to celebrate when we are successful. The Scripture tells us to celebrate when we are weak, because it is then we realize God is strong. Read Psalm 106:1-5, 44-48. The verses in-between give an account of the times when Israel was unfaithful, yet God continued to support Israel, steadfastly faithful, even when they didn’t realize it. Such is cause to celebrate!
1) Can you give examples of times that God was faithful, even when you were less than obedient, less than confident in God’s presence?
2) Does the recent pandemic fit into this need? How has the virus proven God to be faithful? In what ways can we celebrate? [/su_pullquote]
Let’s look at a handful of lessons about celebrating from Nehemiah’s story.
People Celebrated
By the eighth chapter of Nehemiah, the walls of the city and the temple were near completion. The phrase “all the people gathered as one man” into the square is identical to Ezra 3:1, which also refers to an assembly on the first day of the seventh month. The object of the meeting in Ezra was to restore the altar of burnt offerings and sacrificial worship. This was key to the entire structure of Jewish worship, from daily activities to annual festivals. Consider the energy that was present the first Sunday when worship was returned to buildings instead of online. Imagine what would happen if we went for seventy years without celebrating Christmas or Easter. There must have been tears shed, shouts of joy offered, and people embracing one another.
Assemblies were held by the city gates, this one being convened in the square by the Water Gate. It may be the same place as mentioned in Ezra 10:9; see also Judges 19:15, 2 Chronicles 32:6). The people were gathered as one. Social distancing was certainly not a factor, but the implication touches “with one accord.” There were no minds wandering. There was a focused purpose among the people.
There is absolutely no reason that all of the people in verses four and seven are mentioned by name and included in the Scripture. The lesson being taught is vital. Individual people need to be celebrated. No doubt each of these individuals played an important role in the rebuilding or in the ceremonies that were being held. We clearly need to give honor to those for whom honor is due.
Worshipers participated with the Word
Notice the place that the Word occupied in this celebration. The people reacted and participated with the Word. It is difficult in today’s worship for individuals to participate – a factor that we probably should work on correcting. Ezra the scribe is told to bring the Book of the Law of Moses before the people. Such scrolls would have been kept in regal containers, treated with the same reverence that was once given to the Ark of the Covenant. When the Torah was brought before the people, there must have been shouts of praise and extended applause.
The men and women who were gathered were people “who could understand what they heard” when the Torah was read. This would be people who retained their knowledge of Hebrew even through the exile. There was no attempt to make the reading of God’s Word “user-friendly.” If you want to be a part of this, you need to know the language.
Ezra read the Law while standing on a raised platform that had been constructed for the event. Pomp and circumstance were a part of the ceremony. It is quite possible that the books read were not only the Torah, but also the Prophets and the other Writings. This would be practically the entire Old Testament which we know today. The reading lasted from early morning until midday.
[su_pullquote align=”right”]Conclusions to Consider
1) A primary truth in this lesson is that God is to celebrate the fact that God has spoken and that we have the opportunity to listen. Can you make a list of the essential truths of the Message that God has spoken to us? What are essentials and what are simply matters of opinion?
2) During the past week, how have you listened to what God is saying to you, your church and our country during this pandemic? How will you celebrate in the coming week? [/su_pullquote]
The impression of this passage is that the people insisted upon the reading of Scripture. While not spontaneous, the attentive listening and heart-searching that followed is evidence this was not imposed upon the people by leadership.
The faithful listened
Throughout the passage, Ezra is seen as reading the Torah to the people. Verse six indicates that Ezra blessed the Lord and all the people answered, “Amen! Amen!” Don’t think of this as a one-time moment. Through the ceremonies of worship or festivals, several blessings were offered. Compare this idea to the Seder service for the Passover. Ezra may have done this at the end of a chapter, a book or a scroll.
We don’t think of listening as being a part of celebration, but it is a vital part of the dynamic that takes place between the people, the leadership and the Father. It certainly makes sense that when we care deeply enough about the subject or the speaker, we will care enough to listen. Celebrating the moment means to pay attention to it.
Also notice that several people mentioned in verse seven helped people understand the Law. Some commentators assume this was translating it from the Hebrew into Aramaic, but Nehemiah and Ezra both seem to place value upon the people knowing the Hebrew language. Think instead of the readers working through a passage and then explaining what it meant. This could be the meaning of the phrase “they gave the sense” that is mentioned in verse eight so that the people understood the reading.
The people bowed their heads as the Scripture was read and placed their faces on the ground. Verse nine tells us that the people wept as they heard the words of the Law.
But Nehemiah and Ezra told the people not to mourn or weep, for this day was holy to the Lord. Instead the people were told to go, to eat, drink and celebrate for “the joy of the Lord in your strength” (verse ten).
They read from the book clearly … and the people went their way to eat, drink and make great rejoicing.